Speak to the boss, page-63

Hi Grayzer, especially your 2nd question is also on my mind: How long will a qualification process in the new Anode Evaluation Plant take?

Maybe a comparison with Novonix can give us a clue. NVX has an agreement to deliver 500 tons of anode material to Samsung SDI to go into Samsung's "quality assurance processes" (ASX ANN Dec. 9, 2019) - in other words Samsung SDI is testing the material.
The "full qualification program" was redefined to "around" 2000 tonnes per year, however the start of delivery to Samsung was postponed to the second half of 2021 (ASX ANN Dec. 22, 2021). I am not aware whether the first delivery was finally done by now.

Novonix doesn't give any information on how long the qualification process will take. B. t their goal is to produce 10,000 tons in 2023 (e.g. NVX ANN Aug. 10, 2021).
So my guess is the qualification process will take about a year. In the meantime NVX is already ramping up to be ready for production in case a commercial offtake agreement can be reached by the end of 2022.

Talga's goal is to start commercial production with 19,500 tonnes per year in 2024 (2021 AGM presentation). That's 1 year behind NVX but at double capacity! The Anode Evaluation Plant is scheduled for "full commissioning" in Q1-2022 (ASX ANN Nov 24, 2021), so that's when the full and final qualification process can start.

My guess is MT expects a commercial offtake agreement can be reached before the end of 2022.
I believe so because the DFS schedules the capex for the Vittangi mine and the 19,500 tonnes anode plant evenly for 2022 and 2023 (ASX ANN July 1, 2021).
Of course that's only if we can get the permits by then as everybody knows (expected in 2022 according to the DFS project timeline).